Selective character arrangement of the print member in printing devices



Feb. M, W6?

SELECTIVE CHARACTER ARRANGEMENT OF THE PRI PRINTING DEVICES 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. l5, 1964 5 1 2 UY 3 Dn 41 O mw 5 W ...I L lll 1 2 n0 S /l .kl Dn [l REGISTER G E m W INHB|T Dn Dn l D Il 1 W Y Vr u O 6 A H 12| F. lll AnAlon .IOM l1 Il l A@ Dv? Fxv mmm i if E MER m W MLM l R Mm l R \1 D 1 w Mul X I n. 7 AI M 0 ..3 n SENSE AHMDIS .l Dn 4J 2 INVENTOR FRlTZ RAUSCH F. RAUSCH Feb. 14, 1967 SELECTIVE CHARACTER ARRANGEMENT OF THE PRINT MEMBER IN PRINTING DEVICES Filed sept. 15, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -i Y2 Rm@ X DRIVERS (x2 Rm@ United States Patent O 7 claims. ci. 10i-9s) This invention relates to printing and more particularly to a method and apparatus for printing in connection with data processing machines. While not necessarily limited thereto, this invention has particular utility in a chain printer apparatus of the type described in U.S. patents, 2,993,437 of F. M. Demer et al., issued July 25, 1961; 2,850,967 of E. R. Wooding, issued September 9, 1958; and 3,066,601 of H. E. Eden, issued December 4, 1962.

As described in the above patents the printing arrangements, which operate according to the on-the-y printing principle, contain as the type carriers a continuous type chain constantly moving parallel to the printing line, on which the individual type characters are arranged in a given sequence. Printing of the type characters on the sheet of paper inserted between the type characters on the chain and the print hammers is effected by means of print hammers which are selectively controlled electromagnetically in accordance with the information to be printed. In the aforementioned known printing arrangements, the printing process is controlled by the provision that the respective type characters occupying the position for printing are struck when, after a positive comparison has been made by a comparer between the pulses supplied by a storage matrix and corresponding to the information to be printed and the pulses supplied by a character generator through a plurality of counting units and corresponding to the respective type characters then in the position for printing, output signals are applied to those print hammers in front of which the type characters corresponding to the information to be printed are then disposed.

Thus, the principle of controlling the printing processes in such known printing arrangements, which do not necessarily have to contain a type chain but may also be pro vided e.g., with a type drum r a type bar, consists in the provision that a comparison is respectively made between the storage unit containing the information to be printed and the counter representing the electric image of the type characters on the chain. This is based on the prerequisite that the type characters on the chain are arranged in such a sequence that their associated bit combinations are successively set up in the counter which is advanced step by step. Thus, for example, the letter A is represented, in the BCD code used in the above mentioned machines, by bits 1, 8, A, the letter B by bits 2, 8, A, and the letter C by bits 1, 2, 8, A, so that the counter representing the characters, which are arranged on the chain in the sequence A, B, C, will in successive steps assume positions corresponding to the bit values of the characters A, B, C.

The requirement has now arisen of removing individual type characters of the chain and replacing them with new type characters having other bit combinations associated therewith. In order to be able in such a case, too, to perform the comparison required for initiating the printing process, it was necessary to install at the respective points a respective code converter for converting the original bit combination set up in the counter into the bit combination corresponding to the new character, which is then applied to the comparer. This method is realizable without causing excessive costs for individual characters to be replaced. Where a higher number of type characters have ice to be changed, however, complications arise and the large expense in additional circuit means becomes a disadvantage.

On the other hand, however, there are a number of uses where a certain flexibility in the type arrangement is desirable or required. For, it can be proved that by a suitable arrangement of the type characters it is possible to increase the printing speed considerably. That is the case, for instance where those characters occuring frequently in a certain type of work are provided in greater numbers in the chain than the characters occurring -more rarely. That applies to the sets of numerals in those cases where the printer is used primarily in machines for solving mathematical problems. Where problems of banks or insurance companies are handled, again another set of type may be of advantage in order to obtain an optimum operating speed. This applies in particular also where the printer is to be used alternately for dierent foreign scripts. This adds the difficulty of having to use differently sized sets of characters, so that the counter representing the characters will respectively have to have a capacity adapted to such sets of characters.

The `problems arising in connection with these operations are solved by this invention in a simple manner. The invention relates to a method of controlling the printing process in printing devices including periodically actuated type carriers, wherein the characters of the line t-o be printed are compared to the images of the respective type characters of the type carrier then occupying the individual printing positions, a positive comparison initiating the printing process in the respective printing positions.

The method of this invention operates in such a manner that the image of the type characters and their distribution on that part of the type carrier which is respectively in the position for printing is produced by the cyclic readout, shifted by one or more positions for each cycle, of a storage unit containing the image of the type characters and their distribution of the respective type carrier being used.

In accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the storage unit containing the image of the type characters and their distribution on the respective type carrier being used is read out, position by position, cyclically and with a shift of one or more posit-ions for each cycle, the characters having been read out being then read into a buffer storage unit the contents of which is compared through a comparer to the contents of another buffer storage unit respectively containing a character of the respective line to be printed, said comparer on detecting correspondence between the characters of a print-ing position initiating the printing process at that position.

It has proved to be of particular advantage to load the storage unit anew, partly or entirely, one each change of the type carrier or between two printing operations, with information representing the charatcers and the character distribution. It is also possible to design the storage unit as a fixed storage unit which is replaced on each change of the type carrier.

Furthermore, it is also considered advantageous in the method of this invention when used in connection with scripts, especially foreign scripts, having a large number of characters that, in accordance with their static frequency distribution or in accordance with their use in certain groups or combinations of groups, the characters are arranged on the type carrier irrespectively of the control means.

Another advantage of the method of this invention results in connection with scripts, especially foreign scripts, including a large number of characters with highly diifering statistical frequencies, due to the provision that the c number of characters to be respectively printed in the line to be reproduced is counted and compared to the number of the printed characters, and that with both of these numbers being equal, the operation of printing the respec tive line is completed.

An arrangement suited for carrying out the present method consists in the provision of a storage unit containing the image of the type characters on the type carrier and the arrangement thereof, the X and Y addressing units of which are advanced in synchronism with the movement of the type carrier and the output of which is connected to `a buffer storage unit, the respective contents of which are compared by means of a comparer to the respective contents of a second buffer storage unit into which the contents of the respective line to be printed are entered, and that with the said two stored contents equal the comparer produces an output signal for operating the hammers of the respective position.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGS. 1a and lb comprise, when placed side by side, a block diagram of the printer control arrangement of this invention.

Referring to FIGS. la and lb of the drawings, the actual printer shown in schematic form comprises a constantly moving7 endless type chain 10 on which all of the type characters to be printed are provided one or several times. Facing the type chain a plurality of print hammers 11 are provided one for each printing position, which on a paper web (not shown) passing between the type chain and the hammer unit controllably produce a character imprint by striking the paper against the type characters on the type chain.

The characters of a line which are to be printed in accordance with the respective text are stored in the data storage unit 12 in correspondence with their desired arrangement. While various storage devices can be used, in the preferred embodiment, data storage 12 is a core storage device consisting of eight storage planes, one plane for each bit of an eight-bit-character code. Each storage plane contains one hundred twenty-eight cores which are arranged in eight rows and sixteen columns. Thus, the core storage unit 12 has an over-all capacity of one hundred twenty-eight storage positions for characters each comprising eight bits. The characters of a line to be printed, which arrive through the input channel 13, lare written into the individual positions of the core storage unit 12 under the control of the X write drivers 14, the Y write drivers 15, and the inhibit write drivers 16 in accordance with their future arrangement in the line to be printed. The X write drivers 14 and the Y write drivers 15 are controlled by the X1 address ring 17 and the Y1 address ring 18, respectively, which in turn are advanced step by step through the clock generator 19 by the continuously oscillating oscillator 20. The output W1 of the clock generator 19 controls the second inputs of the AND switches 21 and 22, the output R1 controlling the second inputs of the AND switches 23 and 24, thus insuring that the read-in into the registers 16, 25, 26 and 27 takes place at the correct times. The clock generator 19, which is connected through the AND switch 28 to the X1 address ring 17 and the Y1 address ring 1S, becomes, however, effective only when a pulse of the advancement control ring 29 is simultaneously present at the AND switch 28, the ring advancement control 29 operating only when data is read into or out of storage unit 12 for printing purposes.

The data is read out of the core storage unit 12 for printing purposes in a manner similar to that used for read-in, under the control of the X and Y write drivers 14 and 15. The contents of a storage position of the core storage unit 12 consisting of eight bits are transmitted by energization of the respective X and Y conductors through the sense amplifiers 30 into the eight triggers of the trigger register 25 whence they are, on the one hand, re-written into the same storage position through the AND switch 31, the OR switch 32, and the inhibit write drivers of register 16 by the energization of the X and Y write drivers 14 and 15. On the other hand, the contents of a storage position are simultaneously applied through lines 33 to the compare circuit 34. Through compare circuit 34, the contents of the respective line to be printed, which have been read into the core storage unit 12, `are compared to the contents of the character core storage unit 35 representing the image characters of the type chain 1t?. For this purpose, the compare circuit 34 is provided with a second input which through the lines 36 is connected to the second trigger register 26. The trigger register 26 is written into through sense amplifier stages 37 out of the core storage unit 35.

The core storage unit 35 consists of eight storage planes each comprising an array of two hundred fifty-six storage cores in sixteen rows and sixteen columns. In the two hundred fifty-six positions of the storage unit 35, all of the two hundred fifty-six type characters are stored in accordance with their distribution on the type chain 10. The storage unit 35 is controlled by the X write drivers 3S and the Y write drivers 39, which in turn are controlled by the clock generator 19 and the oscillator 20 through the AND switch 40, the OR switch 14 and the X2 and Y2 address rings 42 and 43, respectively. The X2 and Y2 address rings 42 and 43 are advanced in synchronism with the movement of the type chain 10, the synchronism being insured by the following arrangement.

The chain drive mechanism is connected through the shaft 45 to the magnetic track disk 46 and, on the other hand, through the gear system comprising the gears 47 and 48 to the magnetic track disk 49, the transmission ratio of the gears 47 and 48 being selected to cause the disk 49 to perform one rotation for each rotation of the chain. On the magnetic track disk 46, magnetically recorded data are applied in such a degree of density and position that each time a type character of chain 10 is in the position for printing a pulse is read through the magnetic head 56 and applied through the amplifier 51 to the AND circuit 52. The magnetic track disk 49 is provided with one single magnetic mark which through the magnetic head 53 and the amplifier 54 sets the trigger 55 to its ON condition, thus causing the pulses coming from the magnetic head 50 to be directed through the line 56, the AND switch 57 and the OR switch 41 to the X2 and Y2 address rings 42 and 43 in order to advance them in synchronism with the movement of the type chain 10. By the provision that the trigger 55 is turned ON through the amplifier 54 by the voltage pulse produced by the magnetic track disk 49, it is insured that the advancement of the X2 and Y2 address rings 42 and 43 starts with the type chain occupying an exactly dened position, viz, when that type character corresponding to the character having the storage address l in the storage unit 35 is opposite the first print hammer 11.

For performing a printing operation, the X2 and Y2 address rings 42 and 43 are, through the OR switch 41 and the AND switch 57, placed under the control of the ring advancement circuit 58 and the clock generator 19 and, through the OR switch 41 and the AND switches 57 and 52 placed under the control of the magnetic 4track disks 46 and 49 synchronized by the type chain 10. As a result, for each advancement of the type chain 10 by one ty-pe character width, one hundred twenty-eight advance pulses from the clock generator 19 and one advance pulse from the AND circuit 52 are applied through line 56 to the X2 and Y2 address rings 41 and 42. Since the clock generator 19 operates both the X1 and Y1 address rings 17 and 18, and the X2 and Y2 address rings 42 and 43, readout of the two storage units 12 and 35 is effected synchronously, after each complete readout of storage unit 12 the readout of the storage unit 35 starting with a shift by one position, caused by the pulse from the magnetic track disk 46.

The X1 and Y1 address rings 17 and 18 are thus connected to hammer selection matrix 60 so that, in synchronism With the readout of the one hundred twentyeight positions of the storage unit 12, the one hundred twenty-eight print hammers 11 are conditioned for actuation at successive times through one hundred twentyeight lines and one hundred twenty-eight AND switches 61. However, the actuation takes place only if at the Same time a pulse indicating the presence of identical characters representations in the registers and 26 is applied by the compare circuit 34 to the AND switches 61.

The synchronous readout of the storage units 12 and into the trigger registers 25 and 26 which accommodate only one character each replaces the commutators commonly used in other, similar printers for comparing, in pairs and successively, the individual positions of the storage units containing the respective information to be printed and the image of the type carrier.

The regeneration of the respective positions of the storage units 35 that have been read out is effected in a manner analogous to the regeneration of the storage unit 12 through the AND switch 62, the OR switch 63 and the inhibit register 27.

The read-in of the information to be printed is effected through the line 64, the line 13 and the AND switch 65. The entry of the image ofthe type chain into the storage unit 35 also takes place through the line 64, however, through the AND circuit 66. The decision which of the two storage units 12 or 35 is to be written into is made by control pulses on lines 67 and 68, respectively.

A special advantage of the arrangement described herein resides in the fact that it is possible for different operations the optimal performance of which requires the provision of different characters, or different character distributions or character frequencies of occurrence on the -type chain 1f) to .place the respectively appropriate chain into the machine the image of which is then in a very simple manner entered into the storage unit 35. Of course, the storage unit 35 may also be designed as a replaceable fiXed storage unit.

The image of the type characters and their arrangement on the type carrier 16 is entered into the core storage unit 35 in a manner analagous to the entry into the storage unit 12 `under the control of the X2 and Y2 address rings 42 and 43 as well as the X write drives 33 and Y write drivers 39. Normally, the storage of the image of the type characters takes place once prior to the start of the printing operation. It may, however, also be changed between two successive printing operations. For reasons of computing technology, it is, for example, necessary that numerals -be always encoded in a lpredetermined form. In actual printing, however, a different representation of the numerals may be required or desired. As examples, reference is made to the Arabic and Japanese numerals. In such a case, both types Of numerals will be provided on the type chain 1f), while the storage unit 35 will respectively receive only the code characters of those numerals which correspond to the desired group of numerals.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a high speed printing apparatus, the combination comprising (a) a plurality of type carrier means,

(b) said type carriers having different arrangements of type characters,

(c) a plurality of impression devices for obtaining impressions of characters on a selected one of said plural type carrier means,

(d) means for effecting a relative movement of the selected type carrier means whereby the type cha-racters thereof are cyclically aligned with said impression devices across a print line,

(e) a first means for storing coded data representing characters to be printed,

(f) a second controlled storage means for storing in coded data :form and regenerating an image of all the characters and in accordance with their distribution on said type carrier means,

(g) said second storage means including controllable write means for altering the image of characters stored in said second storage means to conform to an interchange of said plural carrier means,

(h) means for cyclically comparing the coded data in said first and second storage means in synchronism with the relative movement of the selected type carrier means and said impression means,

(i) and means including means responsive to said comparison means for selectively operating said impression devices to obtain an impression of characters for which a comparison indicates an identity between coded data in said first and second storage devices.

2. In a high speed printing apparatus, the combination in accordance with claim 1 in which (a) said first storage means comprises a first core storage device for storing coded data of information to be printed,

(b) said second storage means comprises a second core storage device for storing a coded data image of said characters on a selected one of said type carrier means,

(c) means for cyclically comparing the coded data in said first and second core storage devices includes (d) first cyclic read-out means for said first core storage device,

(e) second cyclic read-out means for said second core storage device,

(f) means for advancing said first an-d second read-out means in synchronism with the movement of the selected type carrier whereby said first read-out means presents said coded data to be printed at various positions of said impression devices and said second read-out means presents coded data of said type characters.

3. In a high speed printing apparatus, a combination in accordance with claim 1 in which (a) said first means for storing coded data is a first core storage device having first means for reading coded data representing characters to be printed into said first core storage device,

(b) said second means for storing data is a second core storage device having second means for reading coded data representing the character image of a selected type carrier means into said second core storage device,

(c) Single channel means for supplying both coded data of information to be printed and character images of a selected type carrier means,

(d) and means located in said channel for selectively activating said first and second read-in means whereby said data to be printed is stored in said first storage means and said character image is stored in said second storage means.

4. In a high speed printing apparatus, the combination in accordance with claim 2 in which (a) said means for cyclically comparing coded data in said first and secon-d storage means further comprises a first buffer storage unit connected to the output of said first core storage device,

(b) a second buffer storage unit connected to said second core storage device,

(c) and circuit means for comparing coded data signals of characters to be recorded and characters of `the character image of the selected type carrier means appearing in said rst and second buffer storage unit.

5. In a high speed printing apparatus, the combination in accordance with claim 2 in which (a) said means for advancing said rst and second read-out means in synchronism with the movement of the selected type character includes a pulse generator adapted to generate a pulse at the beginning of each cycle of said type carrier, and

(b) means to shift the read-out means one of more positions of said second storage device in response to said pulse generator in accordance with the advance of said type characters on said type carrier means.

6. In a high speed printing apparatus, the combination in accordance with claim 2 in which (a) said plural type carrier means comprises a plurality of interchangeable type chains having dilerent linear character arrangements, and

(b) said second core storage means selectively stores an image in coded form of said type characters and their distribution on said type chains.

7. In a high speed printing apparauts, the combination in accordance with claim 1 which further comprises (a) a data input channel for supplying data to be printed and an image of the type carrier means to said rst and second storage means,

(b) and means responsive to input control signals for selectively connecting said input channel with said rst and second storage means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,799,222 7/1957 Goldberg et al lOl-93 2,915,967 12/1959 Gehring et al. lOl-93 3,064,561 11/1962 Mauduit l0l-93 3,066,601 12/1962 Eden lOl-93 3,196,404 7/1965 Furlong et al. 101-93 3,232,404 2/1966 Jones 101-93 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

WTLLIAM B. PENN, Examinez'.

PAUL R. WOODS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A HIGH SPEED PRINTING APPARATUS, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING (A) A PLURALITY OF TYPE CARRIER MEANS, (B) SAID TYPE CARRIERS HAVING DIFFERENT ARRANGEMENTS OF TYPE CHARACTERS, (C) A PLURALITY OF IMPRESSION DEVICES FOR OBTAINING IMPRESSIONS OF CHARACTERS ON A SELECTED ONE OF SAID PLURAL TYPE CARRIER MEANS, (D) MEANS FOR EFFECTING A RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE SELECTED TYPE CARRIER MEANS WHEREBY THE TYPE CHARACTERS THEREOF ARE CYCLICALLY ALIGNED WITH SAID IMPRESSION DEVICES ACROSS A PRINT LINE, (E) A FIRST MEANS FOR STORING CODED DATA REPRESENTING CHARACTERS TO BE PRINTED, (F) A SECOND CONTROLLED STORAGE MEANS FOR STORING IN CODED DATA FORM AND REGENERATING AN IMAGE OF ALL THE CHARACTERS AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR DISTRIBUTION ON SAID TYPE CARRIER MEANS, (G) SAID SECOND STORAGE MEANS INCLUDING CONTROLLABLE WRITE MEANS FOR ALTERING THE IMAGE OF CHARACTERS STORED IN SAID SECOND STORAGE MEANS TO CONFORM TO AN INTERCHANGE OF SAID PLURAL CARRIER MEANS, (H) MEANS FOR CYCLICALLY COMPARING THE CODED DATA IN SAID FIRST AND SECOND STORAGE MEANS IN SYNCHRONISM WITH THE RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE SELECTED TYPE CARRIER MEANS AND SAID IMPRESSION MEANS, (I) AND MEANS INCLUDING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO SAID COMPARISON MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY OPERATING SAID IMPRESSION DEVICES TO OBTAIN AN IMPRESSION OF CHARACTERS FOR WHICH A COMPARISON INDICATES AN IDENTITY BETWEEN CODED DATA IN SAID FIRST AND SECOND STORAGE DEVICES. 